October 19, 2019 “Trick” (** out of four) was a tiresome horror thriller about a determined detective (Omar Epps) pursuing a mass murderer named Trick who is terrorizing a small town and scaring the locals (Jamie Kennedy, Tom Atkins, and others) but he begins to realize that this killer may not be able to be stopped. Gory and stylish for a little while but then wears out as film begins to grow repetitive and loses steam. Filled with familiar faces from earlier horror classics but still not enough treats overall for horror genre fans. Continue reading →
October 19, 2019 “Gothic Harvest” (** out of four) was an undercooked Southern horror flick about four college friends (Abbie Gayle, Tanyell Waivers, Ashton Leigh, Mary Alice Risener) who head to New Orleans for some partying and vacation but they soon meet a guy (Ashley Hamilton) who is not what he seems and all goes astray. Not bad, with some good performances from the girls and a few stylish gore scenes, though it never fully rises above the routine although if you’ve ever wanted to see Bill Moseley play a hard-boiled cop- this is the movie for you. Lin Shaye chews the scenery as the matriarch of their demented family. Continue reading →
October 18, 2019 “100 Acres Of Hell” (*1/2 out of four) was a pretty stupid horror pic about a former wrestler (Gene Snisky) who ventures out for a weekend with his friends (Jeff Swanton and Jim Roof) to a wildlife preserve where there they are besieged and terrorized and must fight back in order to stay alive. Standard issue stalk-and-slash fare without much originality or style. Former WWE wrestler Snisky is pretty stiff and amateurish even in playing a former pro wrestler. It’s movies like these that make you realize how much “Deliverance” (and even “Wrong Turn”) were masterworks all those years ago. Continue reading →
October 17, 2019 “The Drone” (** out of four) was a not-bad horror story about a newly married couple (Sam Adegoke and Anita Briem) who become terrorized by a consumer drone whose mind is synched with a deranged serial killer. Ultimately too pat and predictable to really take off but it’s reasonably well-directed and some of the murders by the done are nifty and well-staged. B-movie actor Rex Linn resurfaces after a while and has a minor part as an investigator who meets a humorous death. Continue reading →
October 16, 2019 “Stressed To Death” (*1/2 out of four) was a scattershot thriller about an EMT worker (Gina Holden) who had to make a life-or-death decision that resulted in a man dying. Ten years later, the man’s wife (Sarah Alden) hatches a murderous plan of kidnapping and revenge but all does not go as planned. Intriguing story goes nowhere, due to heavy handed direction and writing and some laughable dialogue and acting. Holden’s sincere performance is film’s only line of vitality. Continue reading →
October 15, 2019 “Zombieland: Double Tap” (** out of four) was a mindless sequel to the 2009 comic hit featuring the survivors from the original (Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, and Jesse Eisenberg) moving to the American heartland as they have to face off against an evolved breed of zombies that threaten society as we know it. Director Ruben Fleischer employs the same in-your-face action, comedy, and stylistics from the original but it feels like an unnecessary retread and runs out of steam after a while. Harrelson’s gonzo performance and good chemistry between all of the leads give this as much fuel as it can but it still mostly fires blanks. Continue reading →
October 14, 2019 “The Addams Family” (** out of four) was a forgettable animated adaptation of Charles Addams’ cartoon series about the title family (voiced by Oscar Isaacs, Charlize Theron, Chloe Grace-Moretz, Snoop Dogg, and more) who clash with a reality t.v. host (voiced by Allison Janney) who disapproves of their ghoulish ways and nature. Plenty of striking animation but not very many laughs and little story to hang anything on. Young kids and die-hard fans of the original series may want to take a look but this can’t hold a candle to the 1991 live-action adaptation or its 1993 sequel. Continue reading →
October 14, 2019 “Mary” (*1/2 out of four) was a stultifying horror story about a family (led by Gary Oldman and Emily Mortimer) looking to start a charter-boat business who buy a ship that they soon discover holds terrifying secrets once it’s out on open waters and they soon realize that all their lives are in danger until they resolve the mystery. Why Oldman is even in this dreck is a far greater mystery, however! Attractively shot but extremely dull. Written by Anthony Jaswinski who wrote “The Shallows”, a far better movie set out on the water. Continue reading →
October 13, 2019 “Survival Box” (*1/2 out of four) was a pretty boring horror melodrama in which seven teenagers (Boris Bilic, Michala Brasseur, Jessica Cummings, and others) are trapped in a wealthy family’s backyard bunker and have to stick together to psychologically and physically survive. Molasses pacing and dull characters make this practically unsurvivable even at only 85 minutes. Stirring music score by Sandy Nuttgens is one of film’s few virtues. Continue reading →
October 13, 2019 “Altered Skin” (*1/2 out of four) was a substandard horror melodrama about an American engineer (Robin Dunne) in Pakistan who stumbles upon a deadly pharmaceutical conspiracy which (what else) threatens worldwide destruction. It’s all so stupefyingly dull. Potentially affecting story of a pharmaceutical company and its horrifying effects is directed with virtually no energy or conviction. Plot is somewhat similar to “Resident Evil” but this makes that look like a masterpiece by comparison. Continue reading →
dlepikcom 